South Africa’s 2025 G20 presidency was widely hailed as a monumental success, centering the voices of Africa and the Global South through the principle of Ubuntu. However, as the geopolitical landscape shifts in 2026, many are asking: how do we ensure these hard-won legacies aren’t lost in a more “transactional” global environment?

In this episode of HSRC CONNECT, the HSRC’s Professor Narnia Bohler-Muller hosts a timely dialogue reflecting on the G20 and W20 legacies. She is joined by a distinguished panel of experts, including Raymond Matlala (SABYA/Y20), Micah Kubayi (Institute for Global Dialogue), Melusi Midi (Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities), and Alletta Miller (UN Women).

The conversation dives deep into several critical themes:

• The Power of Ubuntu in Diplomacy: Alletta Miller explores how Ubuntu serves as a counter-narrative to modern transactional spaces, emphasizing “relational accountability” and the refusal to build psychological or physical walls between nations.
• Localizing Global Commitments: Melusi Midi discusses how the South African government is translating G20 priorities—such as the care economy, financial inclusion, and GBV prevention—into domestic reality through new national strategies.
• The Youth and Women’s Agenda: Panelists address the worrying shift away from inclusion in 2026 and emphasize that the global community “cannot afford” to stop pushing for youth influence and women’s rights.
• Beyond the G20: With the African Union now a permanent member of the G20, Micah Kubayi and the panel discuss how to use other avenues—like BRICS and regional partnerships—to keep African priorities front and center.

Despite the challenges of a shifting geopolitical tide, the message of this episode is clear: we must not stop. Whether through formal multilateral channels or civil society movements, the pursuit of a people-centered, peaceful, and equitable world continues.

Watch the full episode to learn how South Africa and its partners are working to ensure that the “best is yet to come” for the Global South.